The Man with Four Voices
by Tyrant of the East
Summary: To some he is the savior of the weak. To others he is the tyrant of the oppressed. He is the man who wields the burning blade, the man who walks amongst demons, the man who will either defeat the Prime Evils or take their place. This is his story.
1. The One and the Four

**Chapter 1: The One and the Four**

"_Blood! BLOOD! BLOOOOODDDDD!!!"_

The sword shrieked in ecstasy as it descended, trailing a faint plume of vaporous energy. The Fallen One rose a thin wicker shield in a hurried attempt to block the incoming blow. A pointless and pathetic attempt. The twisted, screaming blade cleaved through the imp's upraised buckler and continued down easily through the demon's body. A spray of bright red ichor fountained into the air. The Fallen jerked spasmodically before toppling in two flopping parts.

"_YES! YES!!! REVEL IN THE SLAUGHTER!!! REJOICE IN THE CARNAGE!!!"_ the bellowing voice was deep brass in tone and sounded like the din of unending battle.

The blade swept horizontally, propelled by a gauntlet crafted from metal black as midnight. A Fallen, stumbling back in sheer terror, was caught in the hissing, broad-edged weapon's lethal arc. The imp's head was detached neatly, the sword having effortlessly hewn through the muscles and vertebrae that connected it to its neck.

"_SEE THE FLOWING LIFE FLUID!!! DRINK IN ITS FRAGRANCE!!! GLORIFY IN ITS PRESENCE!!!"_

Another of the whimpering demons turned to run, only to be impaled in the back by a wickedly sharp tip. The imp half screamed and half sobbed as it was lifted up, legs kicking madly, by the blade. The Fallen wailed as cavernous maws opened up along the sides of the corrupted sword and drank in its spilled blood in greedy gulps. The keening cry of suffering slowly dropped to a listless gurgle as teeth filled orifices sucked every last drop of fluid from the demon, leaving it naught but a desiccated husk.

"_MORE! WE MUST HAVE MORE BLOOD!!!"_

"_Correction brother… You must have more blood_," the voice was a woman's, sensual and filled with seduction.

"_Sister Saenesttra is right. While the butchery of these creatures was amusing at first, the three of us have grown bored of such witless and feeble opponents_," another joined in. This one's tone was throaty and laced with contagion.

"_Indeed, only the mindless minions of the Blood God would be so enthusiastic in slaying lesser beings_," the fourth and last one articulated, its timbre filled with a mysterious air.

"_FOOLS! ALL OF YOU! KHORNE DOES NOT CARE WHOMST'S BLOOD IS SPILLED! AS LONG AS IT IS SPILLED!!!_"

"_And therein, lies the problem_," a titillating sigh escaped from the female.

"_FOUL WENCH OF SLANNESH, YOU DARE INSULT THE GREATNESS THAT IS THE LORD OF HATRED?!?_"

"_She is not the only one_," grunted the diseased voice.

"_BY THE MIGHTY AXE OF KHORNE!!! I WILL RIP YOU APART WITH MY BARE HANDS!!!"_

"_But you can't, for you are trapped in this accursed sword like the rest of us_," sneered the last being.

"**Silence.**"

Varus Talladar grimaced as he examined the dried corpse still hanging limply from his daemon blade. With a casual flick of his plated gauntlet, the black clad warrior flung the dead Fallen from his weapon. The demon landed messily among the slain bodies of two dozen of its brethren, their lifeblood staining the earth beneath them a reddish hue.

"_He means you, Gargorath_," the female purred.

"**No. I mean all of you**," Varus growled.

"_And what have I done to warrant such a reprimand?_" the purr turned into a pout.

"**By existing. It is times like these I reconsider my decision to have freed this possessed sword**."

"_Ahhh, but my beautiful, beautiful lord, do you reconsider the perfection granted to you by She Who Thirsts?"_

"_Or the immortality gifted to you by the Great Lord of Decay?" _scolded the pestilent one.

"_Or the powers of sorcery bequeathed on you by the Changer of Ways?" _added the enigmatic one.

"_OR THE STRENGTH IN YOUR ARMS ENDOWED BY THE LORD OF RAGE?!?"_ roared the angry one.

"_Why out of all of us, must you need to continuously shout to be heard?"_ chided the silky tone of Saenesttra.

"_WORTHY DAEMONS OF THE BLOOD GOD ARE BRAZEN IN ALL FORMS OF LIFE! THIS INCLUDES SPEAKING!!!"_

"_Well. Now I know why the lackeys of Khorne never get laid."_

"**Enough**," Varus interrupted Gargorath's sputter of fury, "**even though what you say is true, the constant bickering in this blade is enough to drive men mad**."

"_But you aren't mad my young apprentice. At least not yet,"_ the sibilant voice dripped with self-confidence, _"something you can thank Tzeentch for." _

"_Wrong Dreamweaver. It is through Father Nurgle's gifts that our Child remains strong and filled with purpose,"_ snarled the diseased one.

"_If your fat oozing sloth of a god had his way with our lord, he'd be nothing more than a dribbling, contagion-filled wreck."_

"_HAH! THE OVERGROWN AVIAN INSULTED YOU, BOKUKAZ! WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO NOW?!?"_

"_I am going to stuff my Plague Sword up your shiny red arse if you don't shut up Bloodthirster!"_ the Great Unclean One spat.

_"Provided you can actually move those flabby arms of yours you obese sack of pus."_

_"Oh bite me bird brain!"_

_"I would if you didn't taste like a dead quill rat someone buried for a month and then dug up."_

_"HAH! THE ROBE WEARING BIRD SAID YOU TASTED FUNNY! I FIND THAT TO BE HILARIOUS!"_

_"I am surprised 'hilarious' is in your vocabulary Gargorath. Obviously my presence in this sword has rubbed off on you. It only took what? Five thousand years?"_

_"YOU BASTARD BIRD MAN!!! THE FIRST THING I'M GOING TO DO WHEN I'M FREE OF THIS TRAP IS TO STRANGLE YOU!!!"_

"_You're first going to have to maneuver Bokukaz's sword from your ass."_

Varus Talladar sighed despondently. To hold such a valuable weapon in one's hand was truly both a blessing and a curse.

Saenesttra took notice of her liege's distress.

"_Don't be worried, my lord Talladar. Even if you turn out to be a 'dribbling contagion-filled wreck', I'll still love you… provided one of your mutations is a very, very long tongue."_

"**Thank you Saenesttra. That certainly is an endearing thought**," the black armored warrior replied sarcastically.

"_I heard the word 'long' and 'tongue' in one sentence, and now I'm interested,"_ a pestilent wheeze jutted in.

"_Ignore the Keeper of Secrets, my apprentice. If it's mutation you want, I can most certainly grant you a copious amount," _whispered Dreamweaver.

"_WAIT!!! THE SLANEESH WENCH MIGHT BE ON TO SOMETHING HERE! YES! WHY HAVEN'T I THOUGHT OF THIS BEFORE!!! QUICKLY MY CHAMPION OF KHORNE! COLLECT AS MANY TONGUES AS YOU CAN! THEN FORM THEM INTO AN AXE AND WIELD IT AGAINST THESE DEMONKIN!!! DROWN THE UNIVERSE IN BLOOD AND SLOBBER!!!"_

Varus sighed again, and tramped toward to what he hoped was the right direction to the Rogue Encampment.


	2. The Journey to the Rogue Encampment

**Chapter 2: The Journey to the Rogue Encampment**

"_Are we there yet?" _Saenesttra asked irritably.

"_No sister, we are not," _growled the Dreamweaver, the normally impassive Lord of Change betraying the slightest hint of annoyance.

"_Are we there yet?"_

"_No, we aren't" _this time the rasping voice of Bokukaz answered, dripping with exasperation.

"_How about now?"_

"**No Saenesttra, we aren't,**" Varus sighed in frustration.

"_And now?"_

"_BY KHORNE'S BRASS UNDERPANTS WOMAN! STOP YOUR WHINING THIS INSTANT BEFORE I GOUGE OUT YOUR EYEBALLS AND SPIT IN THEIR SOCKETS!!!"_

"_Spit in their sockets you say? Oh my! How erotic! You must do this to me sometime Gargorath!" _the Slaaneshi greater daemon cooed in excitement.

"_A THOUSAND CURSES ON YOU FOUL TEMPTRESS!!! I'LL SNAP YOUR LIMBS APART AND IMPALE YOU ON YOUR OWN BROKEN BONES!!!"_

"_I did not realize you were so into such exhilarating fetishes Bloodthirster! I have misjudged you!"_

"_DAMN YOU!!! I'LL HAVE A THOUSAND OF MY SERVANTS TEAR YOU APART PIECE BY BLOODY PIECE!!!"_

"_Only a thousand? Please, oh please! Let's double that number! Triple it!"_

"**Haven't you learned anything Gargorath? You'll only continue to excite her with your ravings,**" the Chaos Champion admonished, "**To get her to shut up, you need to be more creative. For example. Saenesttra?"**

"_Yes O'Handsome One?"_

"**If you continue to complain, I'll have to take you out on a picnic by the seashore."**

"_B-B-But that's so boring! Can we add some prancing daemonettes? Or maybe some asphyxiation during the intercourse?"_

"**No. After our picnic we'll have an enlightening discussion on the concept of feminism.**"

"_No! Anything but that! I give in my lord!"_ the Keeper of Secrets was close to sobbing.

Raucous laughter emitted from the twitching maws spasming on the daemon sword.

"_Such wit! Such cunning! You are indeed a worthy acolyte to Tzeentch, my young apprentice!" _Dreamweaver crowed triumphantly.

"_Bah. Father Nurgle is clearly the most jovial of all gods. Our boy here is growing up well under his paternal tutelage," _croaked the Great Unclean One.

"_BOTH OF YOU ARE WRONG! KHORNE IS WELL KNOWN FOR HIS HUMOR!!!"_

"_I find that somewhat hard to believe brother Gargorath."_

"_IT IS TRUE! I HAVE MANY JOKES IN MY ARSENAL THAT HAS BEEN TAUGHT TO ME BY THE BLOOD GOD HIMSELF!!!"_

"_Is that so? Pray tell us then O'King of Jesters."_

"_VERY WELL!!! PREPARE TO LAUGH UNTIL GEYSERS OF BLOOD SPEW FROM YOUR ORFICACES!!! WHY DID THE CHICKEN CROSS THE ROAD?!?"_

"_I think we all know the answer to this one you brainless slab of muscle, but we'll humor you nonetheless. Tell us. Why?" _Bokukaz grunted.

"_TO KILL THE FARMER WHO STOLE ITS EGGS!!! AND THEN TO EVISERATE THE FARMER'S WIFE!!! AND THEN TO DECAPITATE THE FARMER'S SONS!!! AND THEN TO HACK APART THE FARMER'S DOG!!! AND THEN TO DRINK ALL THEIR BLOOD IN A GOBLET MADE FROM BONES!!! AND THEN TO SLAUGHTER THE ENTIRE VILLAGE AND PILE A MOUNTAIN OF SKULLS FOR KHORNE!!! BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD!!! BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD!!! BLOOD FOR THE BLOOOOODDDD GOOOODDDDD!!!"_

Varsus's gauntleted hand met with his horned helm in an unmistakable face palm.

"_I… am… speechless, Bloodthirster. You have turned an age old classic into a primitive battle cry. I know not whether I should congratulate you for being the embodiment of change or slap you for your stupidity,"_ the greater daemon of Tzeentch spoke despairingly.

"_If you ask me, he's just stupid,"_ added Saenesttra, no longer willing to keep quiet after hearing the Khornate daemon's tirade.

_"WAS THAT NOT FUNNY?!? I THOUGHT IT WAS HILARIOUS!!!"_

_"About as hilarious as watching one of my boils putrefy."_

_"THEN LET ME TRY AGAIN!!! KNOCK KNOCK!!!"_

* * *

Like an unending wave of pure evil, the tide of screeching Fallen surged towards the beleaguered defenders of the Rogue Encampment. Volleys of fetched arrows hissed from the archers manning the battlements, piercing demon hide and flesh. Entire ranks of imps toppled over, falling head over heels as the wooden shafts found purchase in their diminutive bodies. They were swiftly trampled by their twisted brethren as the horde continued the mad rush forward.

It was like dropping pebbles into a lake, thought Deiana. No matter how hard one tried, there was simply no way to effect the water besides a few ripples. The amazon drew another arrow to her short bow and let loose. The bodkin-tipped shaft flew unerringly towards its target, and speared a Fallen One through the throat. The imp gave a sputtering cry as it died. The blonde warrior woman latched another projectile to her bowstring. She pulled back with a grunt and loosed once more. Another of the red demons pitched forward, quivering shaft lodged in its skull.

For all the good that did her. Deiana snarled in anger as the two imps she just killed picked themselves back up and rejoined the gibbering mass. Fallen Shamans. The amazon could see their stooped forms gesturing and chanting wildly at the back of the braying flock, just out of range of her and the rogue's bows. They were resurrecting any of the imps that had been slain in battle, making the horde as endless as it was relentless. At this rate rogues would run out of arrows before even putting a dent in their numbers.

Their chances for survival just plummeted.

A black clad figure suddenly approached on the horizon. Deiana ignored it. One man or woman certainly wasn't going to save them.


	3. The Coming of the Storm

**Chapter 3: The Coming of the Storm**

"_See them for what they are my apprentice, foul creatures of the Prime Evils, weak and pathetic in the making,"_ Dreamweaver hissed sibilantly.

Varus grunted in affirmation to the Tzeentch daemon's words. The Chaos Warrior watched indifferently as the seething horde of red colored imps flung themselves at the hastily erected fort that was the Rogue Encampment. Successive barrages of arrows flew thick and fast into the demon ranks, felling scores of the diminutive beasts. However, these were arrows wasted. Fallen Shamans gibbered in their incoherent language, gesturing with gnarled staves at the corpses of their freshly slain brethren. The results were instant. The Fallen crawled back up, wooden shafts still embedded in their bodies. With screeching cries, these resurrected demons surged forward to continue their assault on the wooden walls.

"_Abhorrents to Father Nurgle! One does not simply stave off the magnificence that is death by some pitiful magics," _the pus filled voice of the Great Unclean One spat.

"_Easy Bokukaz, we wouldn't want your fat bulk to explode with rage,"_ a feminine whisper admonished.

"_I did not believe you would care about me, Saenesttra."_

"_I don't. I just don't want your putrid pieces of flesh splattering on the inside of this sword, especially in my portion."_

"_Why you---"_

"_WHY ARE WE STILL TALKING WHEN WE CAN BE IN THE THICK OF GLORIOUS SLAUGHTER?!? COME MIGHTY CHAMPION OF KHORNE! LET THE JOY OF BATTLE SING IN YOUR VEINS! BUTCHER THEM ALL AND PILE A THRONE OF SKULLS TO HONOR THE BLOOD GOD!!!"_ Gargorath interrupted, the daemon sword shuddering with vibration from its bellows.

"_I see your stupidity has not dulled with the passing of ages, Bloodthirster. For your information, it is wiser to observe the foe before engaging in combat," _the Changer of Ways snapped irritably.

"_KHORNE DOES NOT CARE FOR YOUR COWARDLY SPYING, SPAWN OF TZEENTCH! THERE IS ONLY ONE WAY TO WAGE WAR! AND THAT IS THROUGH FULL FRONTAL ONSLAUGHT!!!"_

"_Ughhh… This is the reason why I don't date Khornites,"_ the Keeper of Secrets sighed, _"No foreplay at all, always straight to the sex."_

"**Silence! All of you! We have a situation on our hands. Those demons are close to overwhelming the rogues,"** Varus growled.

"_And?" _three voices asked simultaneously. Only Dreamweaver kept silent.

"**And we need to assist the rogues in their endeavors,"** the Chaos Warrior replied, eyes rolling in their sockets with exasperation.

"_Now, now, my child, what have we taught you about compassion?" _Bokukaz sniffed.

"**That it is the gravest sin of followers of Chaos to commit, for to allow compassion in one's heart is to allow weakness in the body,"** droned Varus.

"_Exactly, my beautiful lord. We must not allow such fickle emotions to interfere with our plans. Let these pitiful followers of the Prime Evils have their fun. We need to move on."_

"_WHAT!?! AND IGNORE THE BOUNTIFUL HARVEST OF BLOOD BEFORE US!?! NEVER!!! DISREGARD THESE FOOLS MIGHTY CHAMPION!!! LIFT YOUR AXE ARM HIGH AND REAP DESTRUCTION AMONGST THEIR RANKS!!!"_

"_You call us fools, but you ignore the fact that there are no greater idiots than the followers of the Blood God," _Saenesttra hissed.

"_BY THE UNHOLY NOSE HAIRS OF KHORNE'S LEFT NOSTRIL!!! I WILL HAVE YOUR HEAD FOR THIS WENCH!!!"_

"_Oh my, I am so utterly and terribly afraid… Look at me, all fearful and trembling at the mere mention of Khorne's nose hairs! What's next? The blasphemous ear wax of the Blood God that instills terror wherever it drips?"_

"_Perhaps the beastly and horrifying butt hair of Khorne's right ass cheek?"_ added the Plagued One.

"_Mayhaps the unclipped and scandalous toenails of Khorne's left foot?" _suggested the Changer of Ways.

_"HOW DARE YOU!!! I---"_

**"You will do nothing Gargorath. I intend to aid these rogues, and your rantings are preventing me from doing so."**

_"You intend to help these… scum? Have you lost your mind boy?"_ Bokukaz snarled disbelievingly.

**"No. I have not. In fact, my mind is very much sane, compared to the four of you,"** the Champion replied dryly.

_"Watch your words child, you have not grown independent yet."_

**"This I know. But, have you never considered what will happen once we do defeat the Prime Evils? Chaos thrives through emotion. Human emotion. Passion, hate, greed, despair, and more. These are the tenets through which the ruinous powers can exist. If we allow the demons here to kill these rogues, the tumult of emotion that resides within those wooden walls will be lost to us forever! If we continue to ignore the helpless, there will be no others alive on this world when we cast the Three down. What is the point of a victory then? Better to save them and any others we find on our journey. That way, when the war is over, we will have an ample population to corrupt."**

A moment of silence reigned. It was broken by Dreamweaver's mad cackling.

_"See! See how he plans! See how he schemes! See how the fates are open to him! See how he manipulates the future to his liking! Oh my apprentice, you are indeed worthy of Tzeentch himself!"_

**"I am undeserving of such praise, however, if my actions have pleased the Lord of Change, may he grant me his benevolence in this upcoming battle,"** replied Varus, humbly.

_"Of course, apprentice. He is very pleased indeed…"_

The daemon sword writhed with unstable energies, the blade glowing with a blackish hue. The Chaos Champion pointed it towards the mass of Fallen with a grim smile on his lips.


End file.
